Valveless fuel lighter



Nov. 21, 1967 E. TACKETT VALVELESS FUEL LIGHTER Filed Nov. 19, 1965 &

INVENTOR Eda Eek e H B IA 62, J ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 21, 1967" 3,353,376 VALVELESS FUEL LIGHTER Edd Tackett,Box 177, White Sands Missile Range, N. Mex. 88002 Filed Nov. 19, 1965,Ser. No. 508,874 Claims. (Cl. 67-7.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A valveless fuel lighter for use in survivalkits including a hinged flame guard and an interchangeable wick ignitingmechanism having storage means for a spare flint. A hermetically sealedWick tube extends into the fuel reservoir and is provided with a pair ofports adjacent the upper wall of the reservoir to permit usage of theentire amount of fuel therein, the lower end of the tube being filled byinverting the lighter.

This invention relates to a valveless fuel lighter and more particularlyto an all-purpose lighter that carries a supply of fuel and which isvalveless.

Heretofore, most lighters carrying a reserve supply of fuel had to besupplied with valves to feed fuel to its wick compartment. These valveswere spring loaded and were apt to fail due to corrosion, rust, etc.,causing the valves to stick or break. Further, long use of the lightercaused weak springs and leakage which caused the fuel to be evaporatedmore rapidly.

The present invention is designed to provide a lighter in which allvalves are eliminated by placing the wick in its own compartment andsupplying the fuel thereto by one or more metering holes in thecompartment.

The lighter of the invention is further provided with foldable windguards, a wick cap and a storage for extra striking flints.

- The lighter is especially desirable for use in the open with survivalkits and replaces the usually supplied wooden matches which arevulnerable to dampness.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a lighter that employsno valves or other moving parts to supply the fuel to the wickcompartment therein.

Another object is to provide a lighter that is hermetically sealedagainst moisture.

A further object is to provide a lighter having interchangeable parts.

A still further object is to provide a lighter for use in survival kitsthat is superior to the wooden matches presently used therewith.

A final objectis to provide a lighter that is reliable in operation andsimple of construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will befully apparent from the following description when taken in connectionwith the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lighter of the invention with theclosure lid opened, the flame guards opened and the wick cap removed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged central section view with parts in elevation;

FIG. 3 is a top view thereof, the closure lid being open;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged detail section view showing the wickcompartment and the igniting mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a sectional detail of a modified form of the wick tube; and,

FIG. 6 is a modified form of the wick cap.

Referring in detail to the drawing in which like reference numeralsdesignate like parts throughout the several views, reference numeral 1represents generally the lighter of the invention.

Lighter 1 includes a case which is indicated generally by 2.

Case 2 forms a reservoir R having a thickened upper wall 3 which isbored as at 4 and counterbored as at 4a. The bottom 5 is provided withan internally threaded bore 6 for receiving a filler cap 7.

A wick tube 8 (best viewed in FIG. 4) is received in bore 4 and containsa wick 9. Wick tube 8 is provided with an annular flange 10. A sealingwasher 11 is provided between flange 10 and thickened top wall 3 asshown.

Means for securing wick tube 8 in bore 4 are provided and consists of anut 12 which is screwed over a threaded upper portion 13 of wick tube 8and draws flange 10 tightly against sealing washer 11 in counterbore 4a.A further seal 14 is received in a bore 15 in the upper side of nut 12for a purpose to be described later.

The wick tube 8, flange 10 and sealing washer 11 may be assembledthrough threaded bore 6 which is in alignment with bore 4.

The lighter 1 is provided with an igniting mechanism which is generallyindicated by 16 and consists of a supporting case 17 slidably fitted ina well 18 formed in upper Wall 3.

A flint tube 19 is held vertically in supporting case 17 by having itslower end threaded on a threaded plug 20 which is fixed on the floor 21of case 17 as seen in FIG. 4.

The upper end of flint tube 19 may be supported by any expedient means,as for example, a collar 22 fixed on a ledge 23.

A flint 24 is housed in flint tube 19 and is biased up wardly by aspring 25 to bear against a striker Wheel 26 journaled in the side walls27 of case 16 by an axle 28 (FIG. 2). i

A second tube 29 is threaded over a second threaded plug 30 and containsextra flints 24a. Plug 30 is also fixed on floor 21.

A wick cap 31 is provided and is internally threaded for threadableengagement over portion 13 of wick tube 8. Cap 31 may be replaced bysecond tube 29 if lost. Wick cap 31 is provided with a flared portion31a at its lower edge to form a seal when screwed down against seal 14.

Means are provided to guard the flame when produced by the lighter 1 andthey comprise a pair of flame guards 32 which are pivoted on uprightshafts 33 fixed on the top side of wall 3.

Flame guards 32 are provided with semicircular open ings 34 for ventingof the flame when they are closed.

A lid 35 hinged to case by hinge 36 is provided to close the lighterwhen not in use, and a catch 37 on the upper side of case 2 provides ameans of holding the lid in closed position with relation therewith.

Means may be provided for preventing the loss of wick cap 31 when it isremoved from Wick tube 8 and consists of a chain 38 attached at one ofits ends to cap 31 and at its other end to one of the upright shafts 33.

Instead of allowing cap 31 to hang loosely when disconnected, the axle28 may be extended and threaded and cap 31 screwed onto it (see FIG. 3).

Reservoir R is filled with a fuel through filler cap bore 6. Smallmetered holes 39 bored through wick tube 8 and located near the loweredge of wall 3 permit entrance of the fuel into the wick tube tosaturate the wick. It is obvious that the last drop of fuel may be usedby inverting the lighter so that the fuel may enter the holes 39.

A modified wick tube is illustrated in FIG. 5. In this figure, the wicktube 8a is shortened to reach only to the edge of wall 3 and a port 40is bored centrally through flange and sealing. washer 11 to providecommunication between wick tube 8a and the fuel in reservoir R.

A modified cap 31a is shown in FIG. 6 in which the wick tube 8b has nocap. Instead, the tube 8b is provided with an annular notch 41 scoredabout the upper portion thereof. By merely breaking off the upperportion 31b, the wick 9 may be exposed.

The operation of the lighter is simple. The operator merely flips openlid 35 and opens flame guards 32. Then the wick cap 31 is unscrewed andthe striker wheel 26 rotated. Sparks from the contact of the wheel 26against flint 24 will ignite wick 9. The flame guards 32 act the same ascupping the hands to protect the flame against a breeze and aifords lessdanger of burning the hands.

Should the igniting mechanism 16 become damaged, it may be pulled out ofwell 18 and a new one inserted.

Seals 11 and 14 may be of neoprene or like substance to prevent damageby moisture. Flange 10 may be brazed to tube 8 or by any suitablemethod.

It is apparent from the foregoing, that a lighter has been designed thatis useful with survival kits, etc., and is moisture proof and capable ofusing substantially all of the fuel contained in its reservoir. The fuelcannot evaporate as long as the wick cap is attached since the reservoiris otherwise hermetically sealed.

The walls of flame guards 32 may be cut out to provide space for thestriker wheel 26 as shown, so that the lighter can be ignited withoutopening the flame guards. In this manner, the lighter could serve as ahand warmer.

In case the flint 24 should become wet, such as by dropping the lighterinto water, a spare flint 24a can be removed from second tube 29 andsubstituted therefor.

While only preferred forms of the invention have been shown anddescribed, other forms of the invention are contemplated and numerouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel lighter comprising, in combination, a case including a fuelreservoir, an upper wall having a bore, a counterbore in the inner endof said bore, a well in the upper portion of said wall and a fillingport in its lower wall; a wick tube in said bore, said wick tube havingan outer portion extending above said upper wall and an inner portionhaving a closed end and extending into said reservoir, a wick in saidtube; means associated with said wick tube for mounting and sealing saidwick tube in said bore and counterbore, there being at least one port insaid inner portion of said wick tube and being located at a leveltherein bordering the inner edge of said upper wall and communicatingwith said reservoir to permit fuel from said reservoir to enter saidwick tube and saturate the wick and whereby when the fuel level in saidreservoir is lower than said port, said wick may be repeatedly saturatedby the inversion of said lighter until substantially the entire amountof fuel in said reservoir is exhausted; means for igniting the wick,slidable in and frictionally held in said well; a folding flame guardmounted on the top side of said case; a closure lid hinged to the topside of said case for enclosing exposed parts of said lighter, a closureplug for threadable engagement in said filling port and a closure capfor threadable engagement with the outer end of said wick tube.

2. A fuel lighter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means associatedwith said wick tube for mounting and sealing said wick tube in said boreand said counterbore comprises a flange fixed to said tube, a sealingwasher disposed between said flange and the under side of saidcounterbore, a nut having a bore in its upper side threadably engagingthe outer portion of said wick tube whereby said nut may be screwed topull said flange against the upper side of said counterbore to secureand seal said tube in said bore in said upper wall and a sealing washerin said bore in said nut whereby a closure cap for closing the outer endof said tube may be tightened against said sealing washer in said nut.

3. A fuel lighter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wick tube isclosed at that part extending above said upper wall, there being anannular groove in its outer peripheral surface and spaced from itsclosed end whereby that portion of said tube above said groove may bebroken off to expose a wick when in said tube.

4. A fuel lighter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means forigniting a wick comprises a supporting case for insertion into saidwell, said supporting case having a pair of side walls and a floor, afirst threaded plug fixed on said floor, a first tube threadably mountedon said plug, a spring biased flint slidable in said first tube, astriker wheel journaled in said side Walls and contacting said flint, asecond threaded plug fixed to said floor and a second tube threadablymounted on said second plug whereby a reserve supply of flints may bestored therein.

5. A fuel lighter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said folding flameguard comprises a pair of space upright shafts fixed in the topside ofsaid thickened wall, and a pair of flame guards pivotally mounted, oneeach on a said shaft, there being a semicircular opening in the upperside of each said flame guard whereby when said flame guards are closeda flame on the wick of said lighter may be vented, said flame guardsadapted to be swung out to expose the flame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,943,505 1/ 1934 Aronson 677.11,986,098 1/1935 Beck 67-7.1 2,454,501 11/1948 Camm 677.1 2,617,28611/1952 Prusack 67--7.1 2,680,962 6/1954 Lipic 67-7.1 2,763,129 9/ 1956Kohn et a1. 677.1

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner,

1. A FUEL LIGHTER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CASE INCLUDING A FUELRESERVOIR, AN UPPER WALL HAVING A BORE, A COUNTERBORE IN THE INNER ENDOF SAID BORE, A WELL IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID WALL AND A FILLINGPORT IN ITS LOWER WALL; A WICK TUBE IN SAID BORE, SAID WICK TUBE HAVINGAN OUTER PORTION EXTENDING ABOVE SAID UPPER WALL AND AN INNER PORTIONHAVING A CLOSED END AND EXTENDING INTO SAID RESERVOIR, A WICK IN SAIDTUBE; MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID WICK TUBE FOR MOUNTING AND SEALING SAIDWICK TUBE IN SAID BORE AND COUNTERBORE, THERE BEING AT LEAST ONE PORT INSAID INNER PORTION OF SAID WICK TUBE AND BEING LOCATED AT A LEVELTHEREIN BORDERING THE INNER EDGE OF SAID UPPER WALL AND COMMUNICATINGWITH SAID RESERVOIR TO PERMIT FUEL FROM SAID RESERVOIR TO ENTER SAIDWICK TUBE AND SATURATE THE WICK AND WHEREBY WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IN SAIDRESERVOIR IS LOWER THAN SAID PORT, SAID WICK MAY BE REPEATEDLY SATURATEDBY THE INVERSION OF SAID LIGHTER UNTIL SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE AMOUNTOF FUEL IN SAID RESERVOIR IS EXHAUSTED; MEANS FOR IGNITING THE WICK,SLIDABLE IN SAID FRICTIONALLY HELD IN SAID WELL; A FOLDING FLAME GUARDMOUNTED ON THE TOP SIDE OF SAID CASE; A CLOSURE LID HINGED TO THE TOPSIDE OF SAID CASE FOR ENCLOSING EXPOSED PARTS OF SAID LIGHTER, A CLOSUREPLUG FOR THREADABLE ENGAGEMENT IN SAID FILLING PORT AND A CLOSURE CAPFOR THREADABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTER END OF SAID WICK TUBE.